This takes place sometime in Season 2. I don't think there any spoilers though. The usual disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own anything Royal Pains and kudos just goes to all its amazing producers and writers.

Chapter 1

Evan R. Lawson, CFO of HankMed was in a happy mood. He was whistling a catchy tune as he bustled in the kitchen.

"You're in a cheerful mood this morning." Dr. Hank Lawson entered the kitchen.

"Yup…Paige is finally back from her trip to Colorado and she said she'd come over for dinner tonight…so I am going to make her some of my special lasagna and maybe even bake a pie." Evan declared.

Hank sat down at the counter with a cup of coffee. "So this thing with Paige…it's going good?"

"Well, we've been out a couple of times and she seems happy to be with me." Evan said. "I've really missed her this past week while she was in Colorado…but she sent text messages everyday…and she said she missed me too."

Hank had never seen his brother like this. He had liked girls before, but now he seemed like a lovestruck teenager with that twinkle in his eyes all the time and the lilt in his voice when he mentioned Paige's name.

"Good…I'm happy for you kid."

Just then, Divya walked in.

"Who's happy?" she asked, sounding kind of bored.

"Evan is!" Evan sang, taking Divya's hands, trying to spin her around. "Evan is in love."

Divya tried to release herself from the young man and sat next to Hank who handed her a cup of coffee.

"Hank, don't forget, we are having lunch with Jill at that new Italian place in town. She's been wanting to try out their lasagna. Apparently, it's to die for." Divya reminded Hank.

"Oh yeah. Hey Ev, you want to join us for lunch?"

Evan rolled his eyes and said, "Henry…didn't I just say I was making lasagna for Paige for dinner?"

"They DO have other dishes there you know." Hank countered. "C'mon, the four of us haven't been out to lunch in awhile."

"Next time Henry, next time. I promise." Evan said, patting his brother on the back.

xxxx

Jill sat back on her chair and sighed. "That was some good lasagna. I don't think I even have room for dessert."

Hank put down his fork. "I have to admit, that WAS good. Evan would have liked it. Of course he'll say his is better but this WAS pretty good."

After they paid the bill, they all got up and started for the door. Divya suddenly put her hand on Hank's elbow, pulling him back a little.

Hank looked at her, a little puzzled. He looked to where she was staring.

At a table near the fountain was Paige Collins with her supposed ex-boyfriend, Graham Barnes. Paige was pointing her fork at Graham and giggling about something.

Hank took a step towards their table when Divya pulled on him a little. He held up his hand, as if to say he had things in control and strolled over to them.

"Well hello Paige." He noticed that Paige had a plate of lasagna in front of her.

Paige looked up with a bright smile. "Oh, hi Hank!"

"Graham, you remember Dr. Lawson?"

Graham stood up and shook Hank's hand. "Of course, I remember Hank. He practically saved my life!"

"I thought you were I Egypt?" Hank said.

"Yes, yes, I was. I had to come back home to take care of something in New York so I decided to drive up to see my darling here."

Paige giggled. "He's lucky he caught me. I just got back from Colorado last night."

"Yeah, I heard. Evan told me." Hank said. "Speaking of Evan…"

"Oh yeah," Paige interrupted. "Can you tell him that I might not make dinner tonight…on second thought, never mind. I'll text him myself."

Hank was getting annoyed. What was this girl doing? She was going to TEXT him? What about a phone call? He was about to say something when Divya cut in.

"Let's go Hank. We got a call from Tucker." Hank looked at Divya. He hadn't heard the phone ring, but Divya's expression made him say, "Oh, we have to go. Graham, it was nice meeting you again. I hope all is well with your eye."

Then he nodded to Paige who looked a little confused at Hank's somewhat irate expression.

As they walked away, he heard her giggle again.

Walking to the car, Hank could not hide his anger.

"What IS she doing? I thought she and Evan had something going already?"

Divya and Jill tried to calm him down.

"They were just having lunch, Hank, and from the sound of it, it doesn't seem that he's staying for long." Jill said calmly.

Hank shook his head. "The last time, she was planning on going with him to Egypt. What if she leaves when he leaves? What happens to my brother then?"

"Evan is a big boy Hank. He can deal with this." Divya said, getting out her keys.

Hank sighed, said bye to Jill and got into Divya's car.

The PA noticed the tension in Hank. "Hank, you look…worried."

Hank turned abruptly to face Divya. "I AM worried Div. I have never seen Evan so happy. I'm not even sure he's ever been in love before. And now…."

Divya pursed her lips. She didn't know what to say to appease Hank. "Are you going to tell Evan?"

Hank shook his head, "I don't know Div. I just don't know."

As they pulled into Shadow Pond, Hank asked about Tucker's phone call and Divya admitted that she was just trying to get Hank out of an uncomfortable situation.

When the two entered the guest house, Evan was putting the finishing touches on his pie.

"Mmmm, what smells so good?" Divya asked.

"That, my dear Divya, is my very special lasagna." Evan said excitedly.

Hank and Divya glanced at each other, solemn looks on their faces.

"What?" Evan noticed the tension. "What's that look?"

"What look?" Divya said casually. "We're just full from lunch."

The two sat down at the table and took out their laptops, forcing themselves to work.

Evan frowned at them suspiciously as he put his pie in the oven.

"Actually Ev, we ran into Paige at the restaurant earlier." Hank finally said, shrugging his shoulders at the glaring Divya.

Evan was busy washing his hands as he said, "You did? Did you say hi?"

"I did," then Hank hesitated. "She was with Graham."

Evan abruptly stopped what he was doing.

"Oh," he said. Then he slowly wiped his hands on a towel and tinkered around in the kitchen.

Hank and Divya sighed and shook their heads. Evan had his back to them as he moved around the kitchen, wiping the sink, arranging the spices. He didn't say a thing.

"Ev?" Hank started. Evan continued to move about the kitchen, his back to them. He opened and shut the oven door twice.

Then he started rambling. "I can't wait 'til you taste the pie I baked. I put something extra and a couple o…."

"Evan?" Hank said again.

"Maybe I should go to the store to get some ice cream…ala mode, vanilla, you like vani…"

"Evan!" Hank raised his voice just a little.

Evan's head snapped up but his back was still to them. "What? What Henry?"

"Are you…ok?" Hank didn't quite know what to say. He sadly recalled the devastation his brother went through when their mother had died and their father had left.

Evan finally faced Hank. "I'm…fine…Henry."

Hank looked at Divya.

"Did…did…" Evan couldn't bring himself to continue.

Hank figured out what Evan might be asking so he said, "She asked me to tell you that she might not make dinner tonight, then changed her mind and said she'll just text you."

"Her last text was at 11:17….I told her I was making dinner." Evan said quietly.

He looked over to other side of the counter where his phone was. Then he went back to cleaning up the kitchen.

Finally, Evan took off his apron and grabbed his keys. Then he reconsidered and put them back on the counter.

"I'm going for a walk," he announced.

"Not a good idea, Ev." Hank said, but Evan was already out the door.

Divya looked sympathetically at Hank. "Should we follow?"

Hank contemplated but shook his head. He probably needs to be alone for now.